Obedience to God

Scripture Texts:  Acts 5:29-30,

Deut 28:1-14 

By Kemi O.

        

What is Obedience?

Obedience, according to the dictionary is defined as the state or practice of obeying, the observance of a set of rules, submission to another's will.  A Greek word for obey in the New Testament means "to trust."

What are other words that are also related to or used to mean obedience?

Submission

Conformity

Compliance

Surrender

Dutifulness

Obeisance

Yielding

        Numerous times God's Word assures us of His desire to bless our lives if we follow His ways, obey His commands.  We're also told that willful disobedience will eventually result in disheartening consequences.  Often times, we can determine the outcome of life's situations by the extent to which we willingly walk in obedience to God's commands.  As Dr. Stanley stated in one of his teachings on the topic of obedience, he said obedience is the "Bottom line" in the Christian Life.  Basically, this means that it is not just enough to have faith in God but following His instructions, doing what He says we should do is a huge part of our Christian lifestyle.  Several destinies have been destroyed as a result of willful disobedience.

  To obey means doing what God says in the timing and manners He commands to do it, not when we feel like it, but when God tells us to, because our God is a God of time and season, He is a time sensitive God and we have to be sensitive to his instructions/commands. 1 day too early or 1 hour too late could make all the difference in the assignment or instruction He gives us.  Everything must be done in order and accordingly. We can see that in several places in scripture; when the Lord is leading His people to fight against their enemies, they only make a move at the time and place God tells them to.   We must then, know what His instructions are because we can't comply with something we don't understand unless by His Spirit who helps us in understanding what God is requesting us to do and also directing us on the proper steps to take.

  I am not saying it is always easy to obey God, believe me it is not, and the enemy doesn't help much either because he does not want us to obey God since he knows that there are always wonderful blessings for those who obey the Father and so satan makes sure he brings all sorts temptation our way to distract us.  In our scripture text today, we will look at what the bible says about obedience and the rewards the Lord gives to us, should we continually obey His commands.  I also want you to be aware that all the blessings that were promised under the Abrahamic Covenant & the Mosaic Law i.e. from Genesis – Deuteronomy, still holds true for His children today because what did Jesus say in Matt 5:17,"Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”  What we are grateful for as New Testament believers is that the Grace has broken the curse of the law that was once active, however the blessings of God still holds true for both the Jewish people and the New Testament believers.  See James 1:17, 3 John 1: 2, Proverbs 10:22, etc.  I believe we are all witnesses of God’s rewards of obedience and trusting in Him no matter what.  We hear and see great testimonies of His goodness all the time in our lives and that of our loved ones and fellow believers.

Why should we obey God?

1.  Because we love Him - Jesus states in John 14:15, “If you love me, obey my commandments.  (Very straightforward).  Our Lord Jesus calls all believers to obedience for He was the perfect model of obedience; Jesus Christ was faithful and obedient even unto death. He didn’t allow temptation, people, fear etc. to distract Him from His mission.  Our motivation for obedience as followers of Christ is love.

 2.  Because it is an act of worship unto God - Obedience to God flows from a heart of thanksgiving for the grace i.e. the gift of salvation we have received through the sacrifice made for us by our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our worship to God is not complete without obedience. 

3). Because He is God, our Creator, Our Sustainer and He loves us so much.

4).  Because He deserves to be obeyed and worshipped with our whole being for who He is, what He has done in our lives and that of others.   Romans 12:1-2

5). Because obedience leads to a fulfilling and prosperous life.

6). Because obedience brings about blessings, peace, joy etc. in our lives.

 What are the rewards for Obedience?

        Over and over again, throughout scripture, especially in the Old Testament, we see how God always blessed His children when they followed His commands.  Many a times, we see how God will state " If you do this, I will do this” and because God is not man that He should lie nor the son of man who should repent, His word always comes to pass, no matter what and it is confirmed in Psalm 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” In a nutshell, this verse means our God is a covenant keeping God, He does not go back on His promises, and He honors His word above His name.  Let us look at some of the rewards noted in scripture.

1). Genesis 22:18 “and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” This verse proves how much God values obedience from His people.  He is willing to bless a whole race of people, a whole nation of people for the obedience of one man. 

2). Luke 11:28 " But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”  That word “blessed” already tells you that a reward is coming for you, but only the Lord knows what it will be. 

 

3). Deut 28: 1-14 - This portion in scripture lists all the blessings from God to His children if they obey His commands.   Here there are :  “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, 

the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, 

if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 
3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.
 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 

6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 
7 “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. 

8 The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 

9 The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. 
10 And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. 

11 And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

 12 The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 

13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, 

14 and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them."

 4). James 1:22-25 “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

5). Psalm 128:1-6 "How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!  Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.”   
That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.  Beloved, fear of the Lord leads to Obedience. 

        Now the Lord desires to bless His people but sometimes we hinder Him from moving in our lives as a result of disobedience.  How many times has God spoken to us concerning a situation and we fail to listen and sometimes we even doubt if it’s the Lord speaking to us or if that prophesy is true because we are not liking what He is telling us to do.  The Lord speaks to us more than we know and a number of times, He is giving us instructions, directions for our lives or that of others and we have no clue because we are trying to block it out with all sorts of distraction.  Then we begin to wonder why we are struggling or why that thing we are doing is not working or why we are still stagnant, not moving forward.  I am talking to myself too because I know there have been times even probably now, that I am not in walking in obedience. Some examples of acts of disobedience include : not giving to the poor as Jesus commanded us, not giving towards the work of the kingdom ,  ( offering), not loving our neighbor, especially the ones who have offended us are all acts of disobedience, not training our children the way God has told us to, is an act of disobedience, putting other things, people, career ahead of God is an act of disobedience because we are breaking His commandments when we do so, not honoring our parents is another major one and the list goes on and on. 

Beloved, no one is saying obedience to God is easy to achieve,  it is indeed a challenge because we are still living here on earth and still operate in the flesh, but God knows that even though the flesh is weak, the spirit is willing to do what is pleasing in God's sight and that is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness.  Beloved we serve a God that is holy and therefore He desires us to walk in obedience and live in holiness no matter what. 2 Corinthians 7:1 “Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. “   Our love for God is reflected in our desire to follow his instructions, to obey him.   The Lord also reminds us in 1 Samuel 15:22–23, that obedience is better than sacrifice and compares disobedience i.e. rebellion (refusal to obey) to the sin of witchcraft. Can you imagine that!  A willfully disobedient child of God  is no different from one who practices sorcery/witchcraft .   God truly frowns upon disobedience.

Friends, our God's desire for His children is to prosper, to enjoy all of Him, His goodness but we cannot do that if we live in disobedience.  My advice for you today is to spend quality time this day or week reflecting on your current relationship with God and if there are any areas in your life  where you feel that you have been or are currently disobeying the Lord, not doing what He has commanded you to do, for example, maybe God has given you an assignment to do and you are still saying Lord, I am waiting on the right time when He has told you the time is now or maybe He has told you to make amends with that sister or brother who hurt you so badly and you are still there harboring unforgiveness, which is dangerous of course or if you are one, who has made a vow and promised God if you do this, I will do that, and you are still owing God, and you know the Lord has been speaking to your heart to fulfill that vow,  I want you to go to Him in prayer right now confessing your sins and asking Him to for the grace and strength to obey His commands and do His will.  Ask God to cleanse your listening ear this day and heart so that you can hear Him clearly and know what He is directing you to do in that situation or where to go and the Holy Spirit shall help you in Jesus name.  Your breakthrough shall come, liberty shall come, prosperity and healing shall be yours this day in Jesus name.

Happy 2nd Anniversary

 

Happy Anniversary Daughters of Zion, A Ministry of Excellence.  Celebrating 2 years in ministry and looking forward to more years of serving the beloved of God as He leads and directs.

 

Shalom!!!

Understanding Faith

 

Text: Mark 11:22

In the church, there have been several messages on the topic of faith and there are a number of books, literature etc. published trying to teach us how to grow in our faith, develop our faith, build our faith, have faith and the list goes on. But the question I want to put to us today is "Do we really understand the whole concept of Faith in God?

Well, I am going to introduce you to 6 types of faith that will help us to understand Faith in the context of Christianity and how these types of faith describes the believer’s relationship to God. But before we do that, I want us to first of all find out what the term "Faith" means.

Definition of Faith:

- Having confidence or trust in a person or thing or deity.

- Trusting in the doctrines or teachings of a religion.

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, faith is

- Allegiance to duty or person e.g. military service.

- Fidelity to one's promises e.g. as in marriage, engagement etc.

- Sincerity of intentions e.g. as trusting a promise or vow made to you or vice versa

For us believers, Faith is putting our total trust in God, Having that confidence or belief that He is going to take complete control of that issue or situation or just plainly take care of us as His children. If we do not understand faith, then we will not be able to understand our relationship with God nor can we also mature spiritually.

The six types of faith are:
Doctrinal Faith
Saving Faith
Justifying Faith
Indwelling Faith
Daily Faith
The Spiritual Gift of Faith.
　
1. Doctrinal Faith

What does the term "Doctrine" mean? - Instructions, Principles and a position in a system of belief e.g. religious.

Doctrine is the groundwork upon which faith is built. How can you believe in God or Christ if you do not have any facts about Him, who He is, what He has done, etc. In order for us be grounded in our faith, we have to know the principles that guide our beliefs.

According to Concise Bible Doctrines by Elmer Towns, Doctrinal Faith is both the beginning and the test of our Christian Faith and it is what we refer to as the "statement of faith" or "statement of doctrinal faith" in Christianity.

Statement of Faith: is our belief system. "What we believe about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, spiritual condition of men and women, sin, redemption, heaven and hell, life after death etc.

We see them on ministry and church's websites and on bulletin boards in their places of worship or offices" their statement of Faith" and a lot of Christians hardly take the time to read it to see what the local assembly they attend actually believe in and if it contradicts their own beliefs. See DOZme "Statement of Faith" @ http://daughtersofzion2011.blogspot.com/. Every Christian based organization must have a statement of faith listed somewhere on their website, their church office, etc... if they do not, such organization is questionable, may have something to hide and should be avoided.

In order to understand and have the correct Statement of Faith, it means you had to have a correct understanding of the Word of God. Scripture states in Romans 10:17 "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The source and foundation of all faith is the Bible, God's Holy Word. Apostle Paul recognized the importance of correct doctrine; he constantly opposed those who sought to change the faith, maybe because his own experience, he was persistent at it. When he was still known as Saul of Tarsus, persecuting the church of God, Paul thought his doctrine was accurate and that he was serving God. But when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he gained a living faith which changed what he believed and how he lived. And at the end of his life, he was confident to state in 2 Timothy 4:8 "I have kept the faith. If we want to have a growing biblical faith, we need to ground it upon a correct knowledge of God.

So if our statement of faith which is founded upon the Word of God is wrong, then our own personal faith is misplaced. We must begin with a correct statement of faith and then build saving faith upon it.

This brings us to our next type of faith.

2. Saving Faith -

What does it mean to have saving faith?


Saving Faith is believing by Faith that Jesus Christ has redeemed you, believing and trusting Him because He has saved you from your sins and now you have become joint heirs of the Kingdom of God.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith" Ephesians 2:8. When the Jailor who was in put in charge of Paul and Silas in the prison became troubled about his salvation, he asked them what he must do to be saved and he was encouraged to exercise belief or faith Acts 16:31. He was told that faith in Christ is needed in order to be saved.

Same thing with Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night for clarification because he couldn’t comprehend the teachings of Jesus regarding a relationship with God, and Jesus replied him with John 3:16 thereby proving and confirming that without faith, personal salvation is impossible.

The inner person i.e. the spirit man of a person is what experiences personal salvation. Three elements of personality are involved in making a decision to become a Christian, or in making any significant decision for that matter. They are the intellect, the emotions, and the will.

Since humans are made up of Intellect, emotions and will, faith comes through a proper exercise of these 3 elements or aspects of personality.

Let us see how faith is exercised on each aspect of human personality:


A) Our faith must be grounded on correct knowledge.

A person must have an intellectual knowledge of salvation. He has to know about that thing or person before he can put his trust in it. In the case of salvation, a person must first know what scripture says about God, Jesus, His love for us, sin, forgiveness, repentance etc. and then believe in it before he can now make his decision. However, having this knowledge alone cannot save him.

B). Our faith will have an emotional expression
Now knowledge about God is the foundation of saving faith, but such faith will extend to the individual's emotional responses as well. Solomon wrote "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding "Proverbs 3:5 this shows that a person cannot trust their understanding about God. In a nutshell, our emotional response to the gospel /good news must be founded upon an intellectual understanding of the scripture.

that's why you see several people if you talk to about Jesus may respond in a good way especially women, who by nature are very emotional but if you haven't given them the word of God to read or listen to, in order to back up the statements you are making about your faith, it will not make an impact in that person.. However, you have planted the seed which may not be ripened for harvest months or years later when the word of God begins to really minister to their heart and lives.

C). Our faith must be a volitional response

The third aspect of saving faith is an expression of volitional faith.

What does the term "Volition" means?

It means act or will to choose.

Volitional faith means the person has chosen or made the decision to willingly surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ based on the intellectual knowledge received through scripture and the conviction of sin in his heart by the Holy Spirit (emotional response) Romans 6:17. It is a conscious act whereby the person invites the Lord into his heart Ephesians 3:16.

3. Justifying Faith

Justify - To defend, vindicate,

You hear the word justification in the field of law and criminal justice, court system. Those of you who have worked in the justice /court system should be familiar with this term.

However, in Christianity, Justification means to set something right, to be declared righteous not because of our good deeds, but because of the atonement of Christ, His grace which is always sufficient for us.

Justifying Faith therefore is the belief that we have been justified or declared righteous. It is not something we feel with our senses; it is something that happens to our record in heaven. God is the One who performs the act of justification, Romans 8:34. No one has a right to condemn us not satan, not man for God has declared all those who believe and follow His Son Jesus Christ, righteous.

In scripture, it tells us that Abraham was the first person that was described as having been justified by faith. However, this is not to say that He was the first person to become a child of God but the Bible states in Gen 15:6 that because of Abraham's kind of faith, it was counted to him for righteousness.

Beloved, I want you to really understand what Justification is all about because from what I have seen in church in all my years as a believer, this term is hardly discussed and no one explains how it works and so therefore you have a lot of believers, who after being born again and trying to live a godly life, you see them still not understanding their position and stand in Christ. Many still feel condemned for their past sins. the bible tells us in Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Justification is an act whereby our legal position in heaven is changed... Let me use an example we can easily understand. Justification can be compared to a foreigner becoming an American Citizen. The moment the person is pronounced a citizen, nothing happens to him or her on the inside except for an initial burst of excitement. His thought process remains the same, his personality and his pattern of speech remains the name. It’s not like the person will start speaking all of a sudden like the average American that was born and raised here. The only actual change in the person's life is his or her legal status. But later, as she becomes aware of the benefits of being a U.S Citizen, she may shout or cry tears of joy, basically get all excited and if a Christian, she will praise God for what He has done but all these are emotional reactions to a legal action that has happened. In the same way as this, justification changes our legal standing in heaven. We become children of God. In response to this new relationship, the new believer may respond emotionally.

4. Indwelling Faith

What does Indwelling mean?
- To be permanently present, possess spiritually, residing within, implanted within…. The secret to a victorious life is Faith, the indwelling faith. A life of victory and fellowship is made available by the indwelling of Jesus Christ. When a person becomes born again, Christ comes into her life. The believer then has union and communion with Christ. Not only does Christ dwell within the believer, the power of Christ is available to her. Paul testified in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in." The secret of victorious living is allowing the life of Jesus Christ to flow through us. I remember a while ago, I watched an African movie titled "Christ in me" and it was an interesting movie, but what really caught my attention, was the title of the movie. It was almost like getting a wakeup call reminding me that Christ is truly living within me and has been ever since I publicly declared Him my Lord and Saviour. Christ in me gives me the confidence and assurance I need to be who God has ordained for me to be, to succeed and prosper in all my endeavours, to overcome fear and worry etc. Of course Christ indwelling us does not mean that we won’t suffer trials, storms, persecutions in this world, but He has promised to be with us every step of the way and just like He overcame and defeated the enemy, He has given us the power to do the same. Every believer has access to the "faith" of Jesus Christ." But unfortunately, many are defeated and discouraged because they have not allowed Christ’s power to flow out of their lives.
Now indwelling faith is placed in our hearts as we study and meditate on the word of God. When Paul says in Roman 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God", he is saying that the Bible is the tool or instrument in the hand of the Holy Spirit to place faith in the human heart.
5. Daily Faith – When we live by faith, we are being set apart to God, which is the meaning of "sanctification". Sanctification is important in our daily Christian walk.
What is sanctification? We have heard the term several times throughout our Christian journey I am sure.
It means to set apart for a purpose, process of acquiring holiness.
- Other similar words are consecration, purification.
All believers are called to be set apart for God’s divine purpose.
Elmer L. Towns states in his book, Concise Bible Doctrines that the bible teaches that "positional sanctification" is a past action on Calvary; progressive sanctification is being carried out daily, while future sanctification will take place when we arrive in the presence of God.
As we live by faith, God is able to use us and cause us to grow in grace. Sometimes daily growth seems minute or even nonexistent to a casual observer. We may sometimes become frustrated with the apparent lack of progress we are making, not being able to see a change or increase in our spiritual lives or other areas. It is good from time to time to look back and reflect on how God has been working in our lives. We human beings tend to forget too quickly the awesomeness of God and what He has done in our lives, when we are facing challenges of any kind.
Living by faith is taking one step at a time.
How can we live by faith?
i. By reading, studying, and memorizing scripture. Every Christian needs to hear the Word of God taught and preached Psalm 1:1-3 like physical food that nourishes our body daily, so it should be for the spiritual food (God's Word) that feeds or nourishes our spirit daily.
ii. By following biblical principles. This means following the laws and commands of God. Obedience.
iii. By seeking the Lord regularly, Psalm 27:8
iv. By confessing our sins. No believer will live a sinless life, but God is constantly cleansing us through the blood of His Son. 1 John 1:17
v. By total surrender. A believer must constantly surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As we yield our lives, we also grow in grace. Colossians 2:6
vi. Through constant communion- If we want to have a growing faith, we must have constant communion with Jesus Christ. We accomplish this by spending time in prayer, worship, bible study and fellowship with Christ. We become more Christ-like in our faith as we spend quality time with Him. Matthew 10:25.
vii. Through an understanding of test and difficult experiences we face. There is not one of us here who have not gone through times of difficulty at one time or the other. Some of us are probably facing challenges right now. However as we look unto the Lord during those trying times, we should always be reminded that He is in control no matter what and He has the final say over that situation. It is during this period that our faith in God is truly tested. Sometimes to develop our faith, God will actually put a test or trial in our way that will force us to turn to Him completely especially when we begin to get too comfortable in our daily lives. Through these difficult experiences, we have an opportunity to grow in our faith in God.


6). The Gift of Faith – This is one of the gifts that the Holy Spirit supernaturally gives men to serve God. See Romans 12:7, I Corinthians 12:9. This is more than saving faith which is also called a gift. The gift of faith is considered to be a serving gift, or an ability whereby a person serves God by exercising faith. This gift is not given to everyone... Some God has given this special kind of gift to enable them to carry out their ministry in a more effective way. I would say someone in scripture who was gifted in faith was Abraham. He would have had to be given this special kind of faith in order to fulfill the assignment God had given to him and also to wait upon such an unusual promise i.e. the promise of a son in his old which by human standards was impossible. Even Apostle Paul described him as "strong in faith" Romans 4:19. I have only met very few people in my Christian walk that has displayed an extra measure of faith and such people, the Lord truly rewards them. We can all have this type of faith, if only we ask sincerely and the Bible does teach that we can desire and pray for more gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:31. If you do ask for this gift and receive it, know that it’s going to be used to serve God in whatever capacity He chooses.

In order to enjoy a loving and closer relationship with God, we have to be able to understand Faith as it relates to our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ who is the object of our faith. The Holy Spirit, who is the agent of faith, is the one that acts on behalf of God to plant faith in a person’s heart. He is the one who also initiates the faith process by convicting or causing a sinner to confront his sin and make the decision to follow Jesus. My prayer is that the in depth understanding of faith that you have received tonight, will take you to a higher level in your Christian journey in Jesus name.

Shalom.

Excerpts from Concise Bible Doctrines, by Elmer L. Towns



　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Intercessory Prayer and its importance

 

Scripture texts: 1 Timothy 2:1, Ephesians 6:18

By Kemi Olubiyi

　

As believers, we should be very much engaged in prayer. An active prayer life is very important as a Christian because it not only enables us to be in constant communication with God but also it enables us to be vigilant (alert) at all times because we know the enemy of our soul is running around trying to destroy children of God, so we need to protect ourselves always putting on the full armor of God at all times Ephesians 6:10-18.  Also, prayer is the master key that unlocks blessings, breakthroughs in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.  Let us now define what prayer is.

1). Definition of Prayer:   Prayer according to Merriam Webster's dictionary is a silent or spoken petition made to God or a god.  For us believers, prayer is simply we speaking to God and God talking back to us.  It is a 2 way communication that involves both talking & listening.  When we talk to the Lord, we should expect Him to speak back to us and this is where we need to be alert spiritually to hear Him when He answers.  Many at times, God communicates back to through His written word ( scriptures) by directing us to somewhere in the bible for an answer to that petition, through a still small voice that usually speaks to our heart, through prophecy, word of knowledge, visions etc.  We should always be patient during a time of prayer or our regular quiet time with the Lord to allow Him to answer our petition and also give us guidance for the day or week ahead.  If you are also praying on behalf of someone, He can give you a word of encouragement for that person.

2). How are Prayers Answered:

       Scripture reveals that prayer is:

· Immediately at times -  Isaiah 65:24, Daniel 9:21-23

· Delayed at times - Luke 18:7

·Answered different from our desires -  II Corinthians 12:8-9

· Answered beyond our expectations - Jeremiah 33:3, Ephesians 3:20, An example of this is in 2 Chronicles 1:11-12 -King Solomon

 3). Types of Prayer

        Apostle Paul calls for believers to pray always with "all prayer and supplication" Ephesians 6:18.  The term "all prayer" refers to the various types of prayer which include:

I.  Worship ad Praise:  A lot of believers are not aware that praise and worship is a type of prayer unto the Lord.  Psalm 100:4

Worship is giving of honor and devotion.  Praise is thanksgiving and an expression of gratitude not only for what God has done but also for who He is.  Some people refer to praise and worship as the "food" of God especially with worship because genuine/true worship to the Lord comes from our "spirit", our "inner-man".   To worship Him in Spirit is do so sincerely in the power of the Holy Spirit, from our innermost being, putting Him first above all others. 

See John 4:23-24

II. Petition:  Prayer of petition are requests.  Requests must be made according to the will of God as revealed in His written Word.  Petitions may be at the levels of asking, seeking, or knocking as stated in Matthew 7:7.  Another word for "petition" is supplication which means “beseeching God on behalf of a need.

 

III. Commitment: This is a type of prayer committing or surrendering your life and will to God.  It includes prayers of consecration and dedication to God, His work and His purposes.

 IV.   Confession and Repentance:  One of the most common prayers which should be done daily as we examine ourselves. 

This is a prayer of repentance.  Asking the Lord to be merciful unto us and forgive our sins.

V.   Intercession - This type of prayer involves praying for others. Standing in gap on behalf of someone else. This form or type of prayer is what we are going to look at today.

4). Intercession and Intercessor

Who is an Intercessor? - One who takes the place of another or pleads another's case.

What is Intercession?

Intercession - According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, it the act of interceding, petition or entreating in favor of another.

Another word for Intercession is Mediation i.e pleading another's cause

For us, believers, Intercession may be defined as holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention." (From the Full life Bible).

Based on this definition of intercession, we can simply define intercessory prayer as prayers or requests made to the Lord on behalf of another.  It is standing in the gap on behalf a loved one, friend, colleague, Christian brother/sister etc. for a specified period of time seeking God's will concerning their situation until an answer comes which could be a "Yes", "No" or "Wait."

5).   What is the biblical basis of Intercession?

        For the New Testament believers', the ministry of intercessory prayer is our calling as priests unto God.  The Word of God declares in 1 Peter 2:5 that we are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood 1 Peter 2:9, and a kingdom of priests, Revelation 1:6, Exodus 19:6.

The background for understanding this calling to priestly intercession is found in the Old Testament example of the Levitical priesthood.  The priest's responsibility was to stand before the people and between the people and God.  Today, "The Melchizedek priesthood stated in Hebrews 7:11-19 is the " new order" of spiritual priests of  whom the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Mediator and Intercessor is the High Priest and this is the order that we, the New Testament believers follow as a result of His blood that was shed which has made us new creatures in Christ.

 

6).  Why is Intercession is Important?

        It is important because of the emphasis our Lord Jesus Christ placed on it in His own earthly ministry.   Its importance is also revealed in scripture records which is filled with testimonies of both men and women who experienced powerful results through effective intercession e.g. Moses, Esther etc.  It is also important because if we are to strive to live a Christ-like life, we have to also become an intercessor as Jesus was and still is.  His ministry of praying for others while on earth didn’t stop there.  Even now, He is sitteth on the right hand of God, making intercession for us daily. Romans 8:34. He (the Lord Jesus Christ)  is the one mediator (intercessor) between God and man. 1 Timothy 2:5, not Mother or Holy Mary, the Pope, Prophet Mohammed etc. or any other religious being that is or has being worshipped.

7). What are the spiritual resources used in intercession prayers?

   In Luke 9:1, it says “Then He called His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."

God has provided spiritual resources for the ministry of intercession to which all believers are called.  What are these resources; let’s take a look at a few of them that God has made available to us in these end times.

 

i). Delegated Power and Authority only given by God 

      Supernatural power from the Lord is needed to do battle with the devil because a lot of the prayers that we pray will be that of a warfare nature.  When we intercede, we are actually doing battle against the enemy, Satan for the souls of people, both young and old.  This battle cannot be done with mere human strength.  We need something greater and that is given to us by the Lord Jesus.  Ephesians 6:10-18.

        ii). The name of Jesus

       The authority upon which we intercede is the "Name of Jesus".  We are to pray, preach, teach, baptize, cast our demons, heal the sick and overcome every power of the enemy through the name of JESUS.

See John 14:14, Mark 16:17-18, Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9-11.

 

iii). The Blood of Jesus  

Another powerful spiritual resource to be used.  It is through His blood that we have direct access to God the Father.  Hebrews 10:19-22.  The blood of Christ is described as the "new covenant" Mark 14:24 and He is the mediator of the new covenant Hebrews 8:6. This makes the old covenant, obsolete which means that it is no longer necessary for the blood of animals to be offered as a sacrifice for our sins. The blood of Jesus delivers, sets free, covers, protects etc.

 

iv). Fasting

Another spiritual resource that is effective in intercessory prayer is fasting i.e. abstaining from food or things that give us pleasure for a specified period of time. We covered this topic on fasting in the Part I section of  "The Woman that Prays" series last year.  If you look throughout scripture, a number of times where men and women of God cried out unto the Lord on behalf of others, they fasted.  Fasting helps our spirit man to be more connected to the Lord when we are praying which causes us to receive clear instruction and opens our spiritual eyes to see clearly what God wants to show us regarding that issue or situation.

8). Principles for Effective Intercession

What are some principles for effective intercession; let's look at a few of them:

                 1.   Praise God for who He is and for the privilege of engaging in the same wonderful ministry as the Lord Jesus (Heb 7:25).

         2.   Making sure our heart is clean and right with God by allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us, should there be any unconfessed sin - Psalm 66:28, 29:23-24.

         3.   Acknowledging that you cannot really pray without the direction and strength of the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:6.  We have to ask God to take complete control by His Spirit as He leads us and believe by Faith that it is done.

       4.    Deal aggressively with the enemy. Come against in the all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the "sword of the Spirit" which is the word of God as mentioned in James 4:7. Also remember that right from the day of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent in Christ taketh it by force.  Matthew 11:12. Beloved, when it comes to doing battle with the enemy, we cannot afford to be lax or act like a gentleman, we need to be angry in our spirit and forcefully take back what has been stolen from us over the years.

      5.   Wait before the Lord is silent expectancy, listening for His direction Psalm 62:5, Micah 7:7

     6.   Have your Bible with you always during this time of prayer in the event that the Lord is directing you to His word the answer to your petition or a confirmation of what He has already revealed through a dream, vision etc.

   7. In obedience and by faith, speak what God brings to your mind to the person/persons whom you are interceding for and allow the Lord to direct you as you relay the message using godly wisdom.  If the Holy Spirit has not led you to speak, then please do not.  Also, be patient as God is giving you a message, to ensure you have received the message in its entirety. Usually in a group setting, when the Spirit of God is giving a message especially one that is very urgent after a period of intercession, He has a way of hindering possible interruptions or distractions until He is done.

  8.  When God ceases to bring things to your mind to pray on, finish by praising and thanking Him for what He has done, reminding yourself of Romans 11:36 , "For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory.  All glory to Him forever! Amen.

 9). What do We Intercede for?

 We can intercede for a number of things namely;

·         For unity in the body of Christ- globally

·         For the sick, the needy, prisoners, widows and orphans.

·         Salvations of souls e.g. pray for your unsaved colleagues, friends, relatives, classmates, teachers etc.

·         Family members and loved ones

·         For our pastors, other ministers of God. - The leadership of the Church.

·         For the peace of Jerusalem.  Psalm 122:6   Pray for peace in Jerusalem and may all who loves this city prosper.

·         For the persecuted church around the world. E.g. those in the prisons for Christ's sake, the families of those who have been martyred.

·          For those who are being oppressed by Satan e.g. bareness, loss of all kinds, delays, poverty, etc.

     

10). Hindrances to Effective Intercession

        In order to intercede for others effectively, you must identify any hindrances and eliminate them from your life 

Such hindrances can be the following:

·         Idols in the heart - Ezekiel 14:1-3

·         An unforgiving spirit- Mark 11:25 - We deceive ourselves if we say we are

 praying either for ourselves or someone else and harbor grudge or unforgiveness,

that prayer will be hindered.

·         Manipulative prayers, wrong motives - Proverbs 21:13, James 4:2-3

·         Unbelief - James 1:6-7 - Doubt.

·      Not abiding in Christ and His word - James 15:7 i.e. not being a doer of His Word.

·         Not asking according to God's will - James 4:2-3

·         Hypocrisy, pride - Matthew 6:5, Job 35:12-13

 

Once we have identified these hindrances in our lives, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us eliminate them from our lives and only Him have the power to do so... it’s not by power or our might but by His Spirit.  Having said this, when it appears that a prayer is not been answered, it does not necessarily mean that there is a sin or hindrance in your life, it just means that God is delaying the answer to that prayer for a reason which could be e.g. it’s not the right time or season for the manifestation of that prayer or the Lord could be answering that request different from our desire II Corinthians 12:8-9.   Also an unanswered prayer can come from our disobedience meaning that if the Lord has told us not to pray for that individual or situation and we heed his instruction and direction and keep on praying, surely that prayer will not be answered and we will also have committed the sin of disobedience.

   11). The Benefits of Interceding for Others.

1. Prayer brings restoration. Earnest, heartfelt prayer will produce results and bring restoration to the wounded. God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. He wants His wounded ones restored. We cannot fix one another, but prayer prepares the way for God to undo our erroneous efforts to keep everything together.

2. Prayer prepares us for revelation and destroys strongholds. Prayer and sound teaching prepare hearts to receive revelations that displace wrong mind-sets, attitudes and motives.

3. Prayer develops unity.  If we are to develop healthy relationships within our church families, christian fellowships, we have to hold the same vision, be of one mind and in one accord. In Matthew 18:19, it states  "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."  i.e. not just agreeing with our words, but more so with our spirit, it is our spirit man that intercedes or prays not our flesh and once we are in one accord in spirit, according to the will of God, that prayer shall surely be answered. 

4). Praying for others causes the Lord to move in your own situation because you have sacrificed your time for the sake of another and with a compassionate heart, petitioned God to intervene in the life of another.  The Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him Hebrew 11:6 and he blesses those who bless His children whether in the giving of our time or finances e.g. Psalm 122:6, Gen 12:3

In conclusion, I will like to reiterate the importance of interceding for others and also praying for ourselves.  As an intercessor, one should constantly be pleading the blood of Jesus upon ourselves because when we intercede a lot of times, we are opening ourselves up to all sorts of things we are not conscious of which is mostly spiritual. For as Ephesians 6:12 states “we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places, against principalities, powers... all sorts of evil and so the blood of Jesus and the name of Jesus are powerful resources to use to safeguard our lives and that of our immediate family.  In vs. 11, it says put on the full armor of God so that we will be able stand against the schemes and plots of the enemy. 

I admonish you today to be an intercessor for Christ, allows the Lord to use you to bring about transformation in the lives of others and see how the Lord will brighten and beautify your life as you do so.  The Lord bless and keep you always, May the blood of Jesus Christ cover you and your household daily as you begin or continue your ministry of intercession in Jesus' name. 

Excepts taken from the course "Intercessory prayer" Harvestime  Institute, Colorado Springs, CO.

 

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"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  Matthew 18:19  NIV 

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